The biggest influence in my work is colour and texture – my upbringing in Australia, my years travelling, especially in the Middle East and Europe have stayed with me and play a major role in my work. Working in construction for years I saw so much texture – metals, ceramics, wood, concrete etc – but also so much waste and too much going to landfill! Since my teenage years I've had a passion for making things from discarded materials. I see a new life in interesting blank forms. I progressed through many crafts including decoupage, paper mache, wood finishing, patchwork quilting – always giving new life to old materials. Furniture restoration, concrete sculpture and mosaics have developed from these beginnings and continue to be my passions.

Construction:Five cedar posts were anchored 4' in the ground. Reinforcing bar was then placed horizontally and diagonally between posts and rods secured with galvanised wire. Then 2 layers of metal mesh were layered and wired to rebar. Over this a concrete parging mix was trowelled on. After curing the concrete was ready for mosaic and grouting.

Description:This project was 2 years in the planning and building. I wanted a wall which said something about why I mosaic. It had to survive the Canadian winters, so much experimentation happened even before beginning the project. All the pieces used are either natural, vitreous ceramic, glass or stone. Everything is either salvaged or collected from nature.

The subject is mans relationship with his surroundings over the millenia- rivers, mountains, animals, birds and trees. And it represents 21st century man's dilemma : reversing the damage done. Mankind is represented by the white ceramic and driftwood line running through horizontally through the wall. The "tail" at the end is where we are now - going backwards.

The wall is about why I mosaic - my art is ALL about using what we already have.